


Fostering for the First (Second) Time

by charis_chan



Series: Little Alex (Huge Love) [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Mama!Kara, Mama!Lena, Other, hopefully fluff, kid!Alex, regression fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 12:05:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16241258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charis_chan/pseuds/charis_chan
Summary: It's been a year since I started dating the most amazing, most wonderful person to ever walk on Earth. They get me just so and they've helped me through a really tough year... they are the only reason I can call this past year a good one.Today, we're celebration our first year together and so I'm writing this.(It's also their bday, they cheated, people... they won't ever forget our anniversary.)So, to you, love of my life, my person, my otter. my Arik...I'm looking forward to our next anniversary.





	Fostering for the First (Second) Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OwnYourStage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwnYourStage/gifts).



> It's been a year since I started dating the most amazing, most wonderful person to ever walk on Earth. They get me just so and they've helped me through a really tough year... they are the only reason I can call this past year a good one.
> 
> Today, we're celebration our first year together and so I'm writing this. 
> 
> (It's also their bday, they cheated, people... they won't ever forget our anniversary.)
> 
> So, to you, love of my life, my person, my otter. my Arik... 
> 
> I'm looking forward to our next anniversary.

“We need to talk.”

Her wide eyes and the way she stops from climbing inside the car, makes you wince. You know better than to open with that statement. Not a month ago, you used that same line to talk to your wife and you had to spend the following twenty minutes reassuring her that, no, you weren’t mad, no, you weren’t going to do something harsh… that you only wanted to have a clear idea of how you were going to celebrate your kid’s birthday.

You should have known that using the same opening with your kid would make her panic as her Ieiu did then.

“Mam?” Her voice is small and timid as she climbs all the way inside the car. Her Fluttershy backpack thuds to the car’s floor and she turns to look at you. “Am I in trouble?” she asks fearfully and you are taken back to those first days you had her with you. When she was wary and shy and too young to speak properly.

“No, a chroí.” You smile at her, tugging her to you as the driver pulls into the traffic flow. Its rare you get to pick Alex up from school, but, well, you need to talk to her. You tuck her to your side and fasten her seat belt. She’s six and capable of doing it herself, but you know she likes it when you still take care of her. “You’re not in trouble.”

It's almost comical how her little shoulders sag with relief. Seriously, she acts like Kara more and more with every day that passes.

"But we do need to talk.”

Her wide chocolate eyes looks up at you and she nods once, solemnly. “Yes,  Mam .”

Then again, she also acts like you more and more with every day that passes.

You brush the fringe out her eyes. “There was an accident, a chroí. Ieiu is fine, as is Grandpa,” you rush before she can panic. “But a friend of your Ieiu got into a little of a predicament…” you trail off, suddenly unsure on how to voice it.

 And to think you had a whole speech planned for this.

 Alex frowns. “Are they hurt?” she asks, clear concern in her eyes. “Can we help?”

 Your smile is back with how she always thinks of helping others. You think it’s fitting her favorite Pony is Fluttershy. “Yes, Alex.” You use her name so she knows this is important. “We need to help her. That’s why I wanted to speak to you.”

 Alex nods eagerly. “Yes, Mam. I’ll help!”

 “Good, love. Because Kate needs us.”

 XxXxX

 Over two years ago Alex came into your lives. 

 Or rather, the Alex you love as your own, came to you over two years ago. 

 Alexandra Danvers, DEO top agent and older sister of your wife died then and she got replaced with an inquisitive three years old. CADMUS had been responsible and months after the fact you had to accept that little Alex came to stay.

 You were overjoyed, of course, specially after Eliza decided Alex could live with you and be yours too. The papers stating Alexandra Kieran Danvers-Luthor was the daughter of Lena and Kara Danvers-Luthor came in the mail shortly after that.

 The reality of what that really meant sunk in almost immediately.

 Kara, sweet Kara, innocent Kara, heartfelt Kara, orphan Kara, finally understood that Alex, her Alex, was not coming back. Gone was her sister, her protector, her rock, her friend. Kara, who had lost her family, her planet, her adoptive father, suddenly found herself alone yet again. It was such a shock she fled to Barry’s Earth for a couple of weeks, trying to pull herself together.

 You don’t resent her for doing so.

 Because you quickly understood that raising a kid meant more than loving them and caring for them. It involved a life-long commitment that you didn’t quite comprehended when Eliza handed over her daughter. It involved making decisions about another human being, knowing those decisions would follow them forever. It involved setting limits, feeding expectations and planting dreams in young heads. It involved planing your life around a being wholly dependent on you. 

 It was a scary and soul shattering revelation.

 Kara mourned for months once she came back, and now her pain has eased enough for her to be back to her cheerful self. You dug an empty tomb for Alex Danvers, DEO top Agent, and it helped Kara find some closure. 

 Your wife still visits it every month.

 You, on the other hand,  had to find professional help more than a year ago to deal with your own issues. The panic attacks and the overwhelming dread over having such a responsibility with Alex had gotten too hard to bear on your own. Not even Kara could help on your darker days. Even now, you are still dealing with the remnants of your doubts and fears with weekly appointments with your shrink.

 But you’re better.

 And so is Kara.

 And thus, so is Alex.

 She’s a bright girl, full of love and ideas. She’s easy to laugh, just as she’s easy to offend. She’s as bright and quick as you remember, but also calmer and more sedate than the Alex you first knew. She’s the Alex that grew to be your friend, but, in Kara’s words, she’s an improved version of her Alex.

 You know that Alex had once trouble accepting Kara’s sudden appearance in her life, being used to being an only child for over fifteen years, but you hope that Kara’s statement of this Alex will prove true.

 Right now, the last you need is for Alex to grow angry and bitter over this.

 “I’ll have a sister,” Alex reaffirms for the hundredth time.

 “For a little while,” you say, for the hundredth time.

 It took you the ride to L-Corp and a good chunk of what’s Alex’s usual snack and nap time to explain the situation and smoother any concerns your daughter had. Alex was inquisitive and curious about everything you told her, so the explanation taking so long barely surprised you.

 “Why?” Alex asks with a tiny frown, for the hundred time. She’s pacing the length of your low table, almost, almost mimicking you when you’re dealing with a particularly tough call.

 Alas, it looks that she still can’t quite grasp this tiny, little detail. She understood how Kate got turned into a child. She understood who Kate is, who Batwoman is. She understood that it was risky to leave a nine years old on her own. She understood Kate has no family other than her father, a father that J’onn didn’t want to contact unless it became absolutely necessary. She understood Kate was Kara’s friend and that they traveled to Uncle’s Barry’s Earth to help him, place where Kate was turned. She understood that the process of converting Kate was different from Alex’s, but still as alien to them. She understood it all, even the most difficult parts, everything except what Kara and you hoped would be her role in this mess.

 You sigh. “Because she needs a family right now, a chroí. We are taking Kate in for a month or two.”

 Alex’s frown deepens as she stands before you. Maybe she will be as receptive now as she was all those years ago with Kara.

 Not receptive at all, that’s it.

 If that’s the case, you’ll need to talk with Kara. As much as Kate needs help, Alex and her comfort come first. It’ll hurt knowing that Alex won’t help, but, again, your daughter’s well-being comes first and foremost.

 “Mam!” Alex whines and stomps her foot.

 You wince internally but make sure to keep your poker face. A tantrum is sure coming. This is one of the aspects you didn’t expect when you adopted her and the one thing you grew to dread. “Alex.” You turn your tone stern and make sure not to call her by her full name. Cutting her tantrum before it escalates is always a gamble, but you know you’ll always lose if she’s called by her full name.

 Your girl deflates. “Mam…” she whines again. She shuffles to you and climbs on your lap. She cuddles to your chest as you hug her to you. She rubs her eyes and you realize that maybe, just maybe, talking to her before her nap was not a good idea. “Not that!” she says in a mumble, a soft sniff hiding behind her words.

 You start rocking side to side, soothing her. Yes, talking to her before her rest time was poor judgment. “Explain it to me, baby. Use your words. Why don’t you want Kate live with us for a little while?”

 Alex’s little crinkle is back. She looks up a you and you can see the wheels churning in her mind. “I’ll have a sister,” she says seriously. “For a little while,” she adds. “Why?”

 You shake your head, a little exasperated and lost. “Because she needs help,” you reiterate.

 Alex’s head shakes back to you. Her own exasperation and desperation clear in it. “I know that,” she emphasizes with yet another whine. And, yes, you now understand her whining is a tired one, not a bad-mood one. “Why a little while?”

 You blink at that. “What do you mean, love?”

 Alex’s eyes shift around the room slowly. She’s gathering her thoughts and words, you know. She’s done that often enough, specially when she’s working out a problem a little too complex for her to get on the first try. “Ieiu’s sister was ‘big’ Alex,” she starts. “And Mam has Lex as a brother…”

 Lex’s inclusion in this conversation startles you, but, then again, this is Alex speaking. She often finds ways to say or do things you never expected. “Go on…”

 “Ieiu was adopted. Mam was adopted. I am adopted.” She focuses her brown eye on yours. The heaviness of that stare should never been used by a little kid. Its unnerving. “Big Alex never left Ieiu, until I came here. And Ieiu never abandoned me or ‘big’ Alex. Lex was bad, but Mam says he loves her and I know Mam loves him too… why are we sending Kate away after a while?” she asks earnestly. “Shouldn’t she be home with us? Forever?”

 You’re floored.

 This way of thinking, of reasoning, it’s completely Alex. Here is your daughter, thinking of how Kate is being taken into your home and how, to her limited knowledge, that makes her family already. To Alex, the sole fact that Kate is going to be like a sister makes her someone that should be around from now on. To Alex, whose world is so black and white, it’s crystal clear that Kate needs to be a permanent fixture in her life. And of course she should, to Alex family isn’t made by blood but by affection and acceptance.

 Alex hasn’t met Kate yet, but she’s chosen to love her and help her.

 Alex has chosen Kate as family.

 You hug her to your chest hard. You’re the lowest of the low-life, thinking your Alex would shun Kate and be grumpy about these developing arrangements.

 “Mam?”

 “I’m sorry, baby. I know I’m squeezing you, but you’re too precious for this world.”

 Alex wiggles in your embrace, shifting and digging a bony elbow in your rib. “Mam!”

 You relent after dropping a kiss to her spiky hair. After seeing old pictures of herself, Alex demanded to have a pixie cut before her sixth birthday. “Sorry, love.”

 Alex pouts up at you, only forcing you to peck her nose.

 Alex sneezes at that and pouts harder, cuddling to you and slumping in a little miserable ball. “Alex...” you sing-song, as you always do when something makes you stupidly happy. You poke her side, making her jump a little.

 “Mam!” she giggles and slithers around.

 “Come here, a chroí!”

 “Mam! No!” she squeals and scurries off your lap.

 Any more conversation was halted in lieu of a small but intense tickle fight.

 XxXxX

 “Kate,” Kara says softly to the girl perched at the end of the medical table. “This is Alex. I’ve told to you about her.”

 Kate Kane sure looks different this young. Her cheeks are a little chubby, her baby fat not yet still gone. Her hair is more strawberry blonde than the fiery red you remember from the long diners and galas you used to frequent. She’s taller than you’d imagine she’d be, even when the hospital gown she’s wearing makes her look so tiny.

 “Hi, Alex. I’m Kate.” Her inflection and the confidence, however, is the same of the Kate you grew acquainted with.

 “Hello,” Alex mumbles against your shoulder, suddenly shy. She’s side-eyeing Kate from your arms and you smile at her in encouragement. “Nice ta meet ya.”

 Kate smiles at her. As far as you know, Kate kind of remembers her old life. Unlike Alex, who regressed as a blank canvas, Kate has all her memories from her current age back and some snippets of her adult life. Kate knows the highlights of her life as CEO of Wayne Enterprises, but she knows them as facts, not as something she lived through. Her mind recollects them as something that is, but not as something she’s intimate with.

 That’s a small mercy, you think. Telling Kate that Beth is no longer around and the reasons behind it, is a task you’re not prepared to face. Kate knows that Beth is dead, but she doesn’t grasp the consequences behind the fact.

 You hope she doesn’t get a crushing reality check like Kara and you did once her situation catches up with her.

 “Kara says you’re smart,” Kate chimes brightly. The machines and lines hooked to her don’t seem to bother her as she swings her feet lightly. “Do you play chess?”

 Alex perks up at that. “Yes!” She wiggles to be let down and you comply. Once her feet are on the ground, she scrambles up the medical table to sit besides Kate, mindful of all the cables surrounding the older girl. “Mam says I’m good!”

 Kate beams. “Awesome! We can play once I’m out of here. Kara says I’m gonna live with y’all for a while. Imma be your sister!”

 Alex’s good mood diminishes a little at that, prompting Kara to raise an eyebrow at you. She’s still wearing her suit and that combination it’s hot. 

 You shake your head minutely at that, murmuring really soft, “later,” to her.

 “Mam says that you will grow back,” Alex mumbles. She starts picking at a the fluffy tuft of pink on her sweater’s torso. You mourn for the poor thing, Alex owns several Fluttershy clothes, and all of them have patches of tuft missing with her constant fidgeting. “That you are gonna leave soon.”

 Kate’s brow wrinkles at that. “Is that bad?” she asks truly curious.

 Kara comes stand beside you, looping an arm around your shoulders, as you watch the interaction in silence.

 Alex nods minutely. “Yes.” She raises her deep chocolate eyes to match Kate’s brilliant greens. “Sisters ain’t s’pposed to leave. Family is family. Sisters stick together.”

 Kate blinks, no doubt surprised to the honesty and somberness Alex is showing, not answering right away, deep in contemplation. After a little while, however, she smiles and you can see a little wetness in her eyes. “Ohana means family,” she states shakily.

 Alex echoes her smile, and finishes the thought softly. “Family means nobody lets get behind or forgotten.”

 Kate then hugs Alex, not caring that she’s pulling at the lines. Your daughter, the girl with such a huge heart and so many feelings for her little body, doesn’t hesitate to return the hug.

 Your wife pulls you closer and you loop an arm around her waist. “They are precious,” Kara murmurs against your temple. 

 You cuddle to her side, basking in her warmth and the sight of this two regressed girls. Two girls that come from such different backgrounds but ended up saving the world more than once and paying with their lives for it.

Alex’s cause is lost. How ever she was turned is still a mystery and getting the old Alex back is a remote possibility.

Kate was converted by a metahuman that sadly is yet to be captured. But you know the root of her problem and she can be restored to her older self once you have the metahuman behind bars.

Kid Kate will be gone from your lives sooner or later. Alex’s sense of family is strong and she can’t yet comprehend how she can gain a sister only to lose her shortly after. 

Your baby started mourning the loss of  her sister ever since you explained to her the reality of the situation.

And that’s why Kate’s low statement has tears running down your cheeks:

“Don’t worry, baby sis. I’ll always be your sister. Even when I’m all grown up.”

XxXxX

“I wasn’t expecting this.”

You hum, looking through the window into the med room. The girls are lying side by side, Kate still hooked to a hundred machines, and they are going steadily through the small collection of movies Alex has at the DEO. Currently they are watching Frozen as Kate has already watched Tangled and Lilo & Stitch before Alex and you arrived.

“Neither did I,” you confess. “I was prepared to convince Alex that it’s going to be temporary, that she didn’t have to play with her if she didn’t want to, that she just needed to be polite. I wasn’t expecting her to get upset over her leaving.”

Kara sighs. She’s out her suit and into soft jeans and an over-sized hoodie. She looks less r egal like this, more approachable, more like the woman you fell in love with. “I know… I remember how angry she was when I came by.” She fidgets with the sleeves of her hoodie, not unlike how Alex  does .

You hum. Alex’s initial anger at Kara showing up is legendary, if anything by the sole reason how ‘big’ Alex was still so guilty over it. It took little time for Alex to warm up to Kara, yes, but the initial rejection had stung your wife and had made Alex overcompensate for  years .

“She’s more open now than she was,” you comment easily. 

Eliza ha s made sure to let you know exactly how different your Alex was compared to her former self. She constantly points out how Alex is more easygoing, more open, more emotional. Alex is more social and way more  able at being around kids her age.

 Your Alex doesn’t have many friends, even when she can happily interact with other children. However, her mind is too developed for her current classmates and her social awareness is molded after Kara and you, which makes her act awkward. Having a super hero and a CEO as parents does that to kids, you guess. Add to it that the rest of Alex’s family is made up by a genius hacker, a Martian, the Guardian, a renowned scientist, a former Kryptonian Worldkiller and the whole of the DEO agents… well, Alex’s social intelligence is better now than before, but still not at its best.

 At least Ruby brings a little normalcy to your baby.

 “Thanks to you,” Kara comments with lazy smile.

 You snort, but don’t deign to answer her. It’s an argument you’ve have often and one you know will lead nowhere. Instead, you ask her, “How long is she staying with us?”

 Kara shrugs. “Barry is hunting down the metahuman. Sara and her team are helping. The bastard is world jumping.”

 You blink at that. “And you’re not helping?”

 “No.” Kara shakes her head. “I rather be here for her. Besides, Batman is trying to find him in this Earth. Chances are, we can get his doppelganger to help.”

 “What’s his name? The metahuman?”

 “Micheal Ludwig. We’ll see if he shows up in the database.”

 You nod. That’s a solid plan. “We need to get her clothes. Alex’s are too small.”

 “Yeah, and something to entertain her too while Alex’s at school.”

 You nod again. Considering everything, you think the addition – if temporal – of another kid to your lives isn’t as traumatic or burdening as you’d expected.

 Maybe you’re indeed prepared to expand your family.

 XxXxX

 Taking Kate home proves you wrong.

 The girls insisted on sharing Alex’s bedroom, but by day three, they are at each other’s throats. Both are mature kids, but still kids from different ages and with different tastes and likes. The three years gap isn’t a lot, but at their age, makes a great chasm between them.

 Thus, you head to IKEA to get new furniture for the guest bedroom.

 (Apparently the double bed isn’t kid friendly, or so Kara said.)

 “Mam! I want this!”

 You sigh. “Alex, you already have a lamp.”

 “But this is a pony! Her hooves turns on!”

 “Alex.”

 Your kid sighs back at you and Kate giggles at her.

 “Ow!”

 “Alex, no pushing.”

 “But Mam!”

 “Alex.”

 XxXxX

 It also proves difficult when you realize Alex’s eating habits are strange for a kid. Your girl is more than willing to try anything and everything and she never complains about eating veggies or food not ‘kid friendly’. One of Alex’s favorite bonding activity involves going out to eat at fancy restaurants with difficult names to pronounce and trying the weirdest things there. She’s as happy eating a Happy Meal as she is eating caviar.

 (You guess Kara’s own eating habits originated from Alex… or at least, Kara got encouraged when she arrived to Earth and saw how Alex would devour anything in sight too.

 Although, Alex eats everything and Kara have things she wouldn’t touch with a foot long stick.

 Uh.

 Maybe Alex’s taste buds are simply weird.)

 Kate, however, has a more refined taste, one you think might match that of a typical nine years old. She doesn’t like greens and she loves anything dinosaur shaped. She likes most her food drenched in ketchup and making her eat pork is out of the question. Broccoli, kale, turnip and mustard will generate an instant tantrum and you’ve caught Kate sneaking her icky bits to Alex. You’ve scolded them over it, but they keep doing it and honestly, after a month, you give up.

 You’ve also caught Kate and Alex climbing the kitchen’s cabinets in search for cookies and goodies. Not that they ever find anything. Since the beginning of your parenthood, you’ve make sure all the junk food that enters your house is eaten by Kara before Alex can even see it. Any sweet or chip that Alex eats is consumed at the park or at restaurants or at a party. The only treat you keep in the house is ice-cream, but apparently, that’s not considered good junk food. To the girls, it’s just dessert.

 So, grocery shopping with the girls is a nightmare.

 Alex gets encouraged to sneak sweets in the cart by Kate and Kate keeps whining and complaining over not buying any ‘real food’. Kara doesn’t help matters, either, as your wife has always grumbled about you not letting junk food inside the house. The first time the four of you went grocery shopping, you ended up with a crying Alex, a moody Kate and a sheepish Kara that had to finish the shopping on her own while you took the girls home.

 After some trial and error, though, you learn to leave Kara at home with one of the girls and you do the shopping taking the other one with you.

 “Lena, can we buy some of this?”

 You turn to Kate, fully expecting to see a huge bag of chips or a box of crackers. Thereby, you’re surprised to see Kate holding a tray of supermarket sashimi sushi. One, supermarket sushi isn’t something you buy, there are sushi restaurants for that. And two, you’ve come to know Kate hates fish… specially raw one.

 “A mhuirnín, you won’t like that.”

 Kate’s lips purse a little, as they always do when you talk to her in Irish. You’re used to speak with Alex in a mix of English and Irish, fully intending to speak to her only in Irish when she’s older, so the language comes natural to you when talking with Kate.

 “’S’not for me,” she explains, shuffling a little. “Alex likes it.”

 Your surprise doubles. That’s something really sweet and really, really adorable. You can’t help but hug the girl to your side.

 “Lena?”

 “Yes, a mhuirnín. We can.” You squeeze her once. “Is there something you want for dinner?”

 Kate looks up at you and grins. “Cookies!”

 You sigh. You should have seen that coming.

 Maybe, though, letting her bring cookies to the house for once wouldn’t be that bad.

 XxXxX

 Movement at the side of the bed wakes you up.

 For a moment you think it’s Kara, coming back from her nightly duties, but the arm that tightens around your waist, no doubt in response to the unusual movement, lets you know your wife is safely asleep against your back. The hot puff of air that hits your scalp also tells you she’s dead to the world.

 You crack an eye open.

 Wide, watery eyes look at you.

 You open your arms and covers to her and Alex doesn’t waste a second in climbing to you.

 You don’t need to ask to know what the problem is.

 Last week marked the end of Kate’s second month with you and things started going south.

 Micheal Ludwig has yet to be found. Barry and the others have combed through several Earths already and the consensus is that he keeps world jumping, moving too fast and too often to be caught.

 Your Micheal Ludwig, the one form this Earth, that’s it, proved to be a simple human. An intelligent and understanding human, but a human nonetheless.

 Colonel Kane was finally contacted (it took you almost a week to be able to open the channels to have a brief phone call with him) and his reaction to the situation left much to be desired. Or, rather, the way in he took the situation made Kate’s own reaction a poor one. He wasn’t angry, nor he was disinterested, but his obligations prevent him from helping. He wasn’t concerned and his confidence in your ability to deal with young Kate and restoring her to her former self was ill taken by Kate.

 You don’t know what’s going on in her mind, but ever since that phone call, Kate’s been moody and irritable and today it all culminated in she picking a fight with Alex and earning them both corner time and an early bedtime.

 It’s no wonder Alex is now at your bedside, looking for comfort.

 “Mam,” Alex whimpers. “Why’s Kate mad at me?”

 You kisses her forehead. “She’s sad her dad isn’t coming, baby.”

 Alex wiggles, digging her knees on your bladder. You know your answer doesn’t satisfy her and that she’s thinking more questions.

 “Careful, a chroí. You’ll make me want to go to the bathroom.”

 “Ta brón orm…” Your girl slumps and you pull her closer.

 “It’s okay, love.”

 Alex falls silent then. Her breathing doesn’t even out, so you know she hasn’t fall asleep yet. 

 Knowing her, she’s playing the last week in her mind, trying to find why Kate being sad translates to her being mean.

 “Mam?”

 “Yes, baby?”

 “Is Kate like me when I wake up grumpy?”

 You nod. Sometimes Alex is simply moody. You let her be so, under the condition she tell you she doesn’t want to be bothered or if she needs a hug to feel better and with the restriction of her having to take deep breaths and calm herself if she feels like lashing out. “Yes, she’s feeling much more than what her body can handle. So she lashes out.”

 You guess Kate’s case is somewhat similar.

 Alex wiggles again, this time slowly, making sure she doesn’t hit you. Her wide eyes look up at you. “Does Kate’s dad love her?”

 That’s a no-brainer. Kate had often talked about how much her dad means to her in the galas you’ve met with her. You’ve also heard from Kara how Colonel Kane’s help has been paramount to Kate’s training and Batwoman’s birth. You have little doubt that he loves Kate, but maybe, just maybe, he should have reacted more strongly to the news.

 Maybe he should have fight a little more for Kate.

 “Yes, love. He does.”

 Alex’s bites her lip. “Then why won’t he come?”

 It’s Kara who answers her over your shoulder. “Remember how gramma Liza had to wait a while to come?”

 “Her work was se-sensitive,” Alex replies dutifully, rubbing at her eyes. “She couldn’t leave without causing trouble.”

 “And Colonel Kane’s work is just as sensitive, ukiem. I know he wants to be here, but he can’t. Not yet.”

 “Then why won’t he say so? Why act like everything’s fine?”

 All three of you turn to the open door. Kate stares at you with hardness behind her eyes. Her batman pajamas are a little too big on her, but she insisted on having something with the bat logo and that was the best you could find. The sleeves are long enough to cover her hands, but you can see she’s holding onto the doorknob for dear life. She has dried tear tracks on her cheeks and her chin trembles, but she doesn’t cry.

 You get the feeling she’s all out-cried by now.

 You sat on the bed, pulling Alex on your lap. “Come, a mhuirnín.”

 Kate hesitates for a moment, but she shuffles close and sits besides you.

 Kara sits too, but moves to the foot of the bed, so she can see you three. “Kate, your dad loves you. He loves you a great deal and it hurts him not being able to be here.”

 Kate scoffs. “That’s a lie. He was happy on the phone.”

 Kara and you share a hard look. Yes, you aren’t happy with how the Colonel reacted, but you couldn’t say that he was happy. He was confident on you solving Kate’s dilemma and he told J’onn he couldn’t come… he was confident and reassured, but not happy.

 “A mhuirnín, your dad can’t come while he’s stationed in Thailand. Leaving requires the president’s approval and you know our president isn’t a good person.”

 You leave out the fact that he being there is a punishment on how he uses his connections and resources to help Batwoman. You don’t think the military know that Kate Kane and Batwoman are one and the same, but the DEO knows and J’onn was able to help lessen Jacob Kane’s sentence.

 Instead of being prosecuted by Martial Court (and probably detained for life, if not found guilty of treason and executed), Colonel Kane was sent to Thailand for four years. He got restricted access to the databases and he had to cut all contact with the female vigilante, but he got to walk free and get back home after.

 His punishment is going, you know, but is still a couple of years away and maybe, just maybe, now that you think about it, that’s the reason he was collected and confident.

 He can’t leave and he can’t help. However, he believes strongly in Kate, enough to face treason charges for her. He believes in the DEO and has confidence in J’onn’s work. Maybe he didn’t react because he knew his girl was in good hands.

 And Kate needs to know the truth, that his dad loves her, no matter what, and that his belief in Kate holds strong. He’s not worried because he trusts Kate and J’onn and you all to get trough this.

 A little nod from you to Kara conveys all this.

 “Kate,” Kara starts solemnly. “Your dad is being punished.”

 The girl stiffens at that and turns to you, looking for a clue if Kara’s lying.

 “It’s true, a mhuirní,” you murmur. You place an arm around her shoulders and make her lean to you just before a couple of tears run down her cheeks.

 “He wants to be here, but he can’t,” Kara continues softly. “He acts happy because he won’t worry you, kid.”

 Kate sniffs. “Why? What did he do?”

 Kara and you exchange another look. Alex shuffles to awkwardly hug Kate while still remaining on your lap.

 “You don’t need to know that, love,” you tell Kate gently. 

 “Why?”

 “Sometimes, it’s better not knowing things, a mhuirní.” You comb some stray hairs off her face. “Just know he did something really honorable behind his superiors’ back and he was sent off because of that.”

 “Did he kill someone? Someone bad like the president?”

 “No,” you say. In truth, you don’t doubt the man has killed. Just, he wasn’t being punished for taking a life. “He didn’t.”

 “He wants to be here, kid. I’m sure of it.” Kara’s hands take Kate’s and she squeezes softly. “I’m gonna visit him next week and I’ll make sure to talk properly with him.”

 The phone call was brief and to the point. Made in on off the DEO’s conference rooms so everybody could hear the Colonel speak and join in whenever it was necessary. Maybe that too added to Kate’s distress, not being able to properly talk with the man.

 You still have much to learn when it comes to parenting. 

 Kate’s weight settles on you. It’s past midnight and no doubt both girls are emotionally tired and in need of safe arms to keep the nightmares away. “It’s late, girls. Alex has school tomorrow.”

 “Don’t wanna.”

 Kara smiles softly at the girl’s declaration. “Don’t wanna sleep or school?” she asks Alex amused.

 Alex shifts, one of her hands never letting go of Kate’s sleeve. “School.”

 You drop a kiss to the top of her head. Tomorrow is Thursday and maybe a small concession can be made. An impromptu plan takes form in you head, but you’ll need to talk with Kara before you get the girls’ hopes high. However, you know Kara isn’t working on anything truly pressing and you can certainly reschedule some meetings. 

 “That can be arranged,” you tell her softly. “It’s still late, though.”

 Alex nods and settles more comfortably on your lap, closing her eyes. Her hand still clutches Kate.

 “Hey, now,” Kara tells her with a smile. “Your Mam isn’t a bed.”

 Alex whines wordlessly.

 Kara rolls her eyes at that. She turns to Kate, who is looking lost and confused. “Time to sleep, kiddo.”

 Kate nods, a little frown on her face. She moves away from you, making Alex’s hand fall. She starts to climb out the bed when she’s halted.

 “Hey.” Kara’s hold on Kate is still strong though, and she tugs at her to get her attention. “Where you going?”

 Kate blinks slowly, confused. “Bed?”

 You shift Alex to the side. The girl is already sleeping lightly and stirs little when you place her next to you, in between your spot and Kara’s. You know what your wife is doing, and you approve.

 Kara pouts comically at Kate. “But Alex kicks me in her sleep,” she announces pitifully. “I need a buffer between her feet and my tummy!”

 Kate giggles at that. “But she’ll kick me!”

 Kara shakes her head seriously. “She only ever kicks me.” And that’s true. Alex usually sleeps like a log when she’s near you or on her own. Place her near to Kara, though, and she’ll kick and punch through the night. “I need you here to protect me.”

 Kate’s giggles turn into a little laugh. “You’re silly, Kara.”

 “And my tummy is in danger. Will you protect me?”

 Kate nods happily. She climbs over you and Alex and settles next to her. Alex turns in her sleep and promptly burrows next to Kate. 

 Kara floats to her side and lays down. She throws an arm around Kate and you lay to mirror her actions with Alex. You daughter is dead to the world and Kate loses little time to follow her to dreamland.

 They look so cute together. Kate wearing her gray, too big pajamas and Alex wearing her short pink and cream, sparkly nightdress. Alex’s copper hair is lighter than when she was big, but it still can’t compare to Kate’s and the mix of them make a pretty sight against the pillow. 

 Alex’s skin tone is also a shade or so darker than Kate’s, but her face is thinner, longer. Kate’s fingers are long, where they tangle with Alex’s paint stained ones. All in all, you think, they look nothing alike, but they do look like sisters with the way they cling to each other, with the way they find comfort in each other’s arms.

 You remember a long time ago, when you were Alex’s age and Lex’s arms kept you safe at night.

 You dearly hope the two of them are feeling what you used to feel then, that overwhelming sense of belonging and love that you only found again in Kara’s arms.

 “Hey,” Kara’s soft voice reaches you across the two sleeping girls. “What you’re planning?”

 You startle at that. “Whatever you mean?”

 Kara smiles. “You got that ‘I’m planing something big’ face a little while ago.”

 “I don’t have that face,” you reply as you close your eyes and cuddle to Alex’s back.

 “You sure do. Ask Jess if you don’t believe me, she’ll back me up.”

 You hum, choosing to ignore her statement in order to answer her question. “Alex doesn’t need to go to school, not really. And both you and I can take a couple of days off…”

 You don’t need to see Kara to know she’s perking up. “What do you have planned, Miss Danvers-Luthor?”

 You smile against Alex’s soft hair. “Well…”

 XxXxX

 “Mam? Can we move here?”

 You peel your eyes away form your Kindle and regard Alex. Her hair is wet and all over the place and her body is covered in sand from head to toe. Her skin is sun kissed and you make a note to apply another round of sunscreen soon. Her cream one-piece suit clings to her skin, making her bony frame stand out more than usual and the fake small, pink wings that come out the back of it make her look like a misplaced seahorse rather than a Pegasus.

 “I’m sorry, a chroí,” you tell her honestly. “But I have L-Corp to run and you know Ieiu will go crazy if she can’t write her stories. Besides, you have school too.” 

 Alex sits at the end of your lounge chair, looking out the ocean. “But you can ask Aunt 

Sam to help you and  Ieiu can work from home… she does it all the time!” She turns to you, puppy dog eyes in full force. “And Midvale has a school! I’m sure of it!”

 Making the decision to come to Midvale for a long weekend wasn’t a hard one. Alex is still at that age that her missing school won’t really matter and you were right, both Kara and you were more than able to take the time off without much consequences. The sun and sand have made wonders to the girls and using the house Eliza left in your care was smart too: the girls have unlimited access to the water in their own small, private beach and Kara can go full alien without having to worry about prying eyes.

 The only downside, maybe, is that you’ll have to get back soon.

 You smile at her. “Come here, baby.”

 Alex crawls to your lap. The shade under the umbrella cools the area considerably, so you wrap your girl in her Pony towel and start drying her. You can see Kate and Kara out the corner of your eye toweling dry after surfing for the morning. You girl was with them for a while, but, surprisingly, she got bored soon enough and had spent the last hour switching between building a castle and playing in the water. 

 “Mam!” she whines. “You’re ruining my towel!”

 You start drying her hair as you reply, “you have three others.”

 “But it has Fluttershy and Rainbowdash! No other towel has them both!” You continue drying her gently. “Mam!”

 You sigh. “Alex, you have others.”

 “But Mam! They are my favorite! Ieiu got the others! They are ugly! They got Wonder Woman and the Flash”

 To Alex it’s so normal for superheroes to be around that she doesn’t like any hero merchandise and won’t bat an eyelid to the names Supergirl, Batman or Superman like the rest of her classmates. Kara likes to bring Alex superhero stuff with the sole propose to find at least one hero she’d like. But Alex, sweet Alex, prefers her things to be My Little Pony, because, in her words, “they are the best heroes”.

 Poor Kara, she can’t live with the fact Alex would rather stan ponies than her own Ieiu.

 “I’m almost done, a chroí. Hang on.”

 “Mam…” The way she whines and rubs her eye confirms that, yes, she needs a midday nap.

 You lean back in your chair and cuddles her, fully content to have her nap on you for a little while. ~Mam promises you she’ll get you another one,~ you murmur in Irish. ~But now, let’s close our eyes, uh?~

 Something you adore about Alex is how she never says no to sleeping. She settles firmly against you and closes her eyes. ~Promise, Mam?~

 “Gealltanas me.”

 Before long, Alex is deep asleep and you return to your book.

 “Lena?”

  You peel your eyes away form your Kindle for the second time in twenty minutes. “Yes, a mhuirní?”

 Kate shuffles in place for a little bit, visibly nervous.

 “What is it, Kate?” you ask her concerned. She was playing not too long ago.

 “Can I cuddle too?”

 You blink at that. Kate has never asked to be included in the affection. She’s a solemn girl, never asking for physical contact. Kara and you hug her freely and she never complains, but up until the night she slept in you bed, she hasn’t been touchy feely. Now, though, she initiates hugs and sits as close as she can to either Kara or you.

 Her asking for cuddles, wouldn’t be a surprise now that you think about it.

 “Of course, love.” You shift as close at the edge of the chair as you can without dropping Alex, leaving a space wide enough for Kate to lay beside you.

 The girl scrambles and burrows at your side. She leaves a content sigh and closes her eyes.

 “Sleepy, a mhuirní?”

 Kate yawns. “A little.”

 You twist enough to gather another towel hanging near your head and carefully place it over Kate.

 “Oíche mhaith,” you murmur as you sneak an arm around her.

 “Oíche mhaith,” she repeats as she drifts off.

 Hearing those words leave her mouth makes our breath hitch. Nowadays, the only people you ever talk in Irish with are Kara and Alex. Your Mam spoke to you in it before she passed away, it’s your mother tongue, and Lex was the only reason you didn’t forget it. He asked his mother to hire a private tutor for both of you and, later, to allow you to attend school in Ireland once he left home.

 Teaching the language to Alex gave you the chance to teach it to Kara. Kara, of course, taught you both her language too. A day doesn’t go by that in your house Irish and Kryptonese aren’t spoken. With Kate, the use of those diminished in respect of her ignorance, but apparently she’s been listening enough to talk to you back with almost perfect inflection.

 “You three make a pretty sight.”

 You turn to Kara with wide eyes. “She spoke Irish.”

 You wife smiles at you softly. “I heard.” She sits on just after Kate’s legs end, at the very end of the chair. “She’s smart.”

 You gulp. “Kara, be honest.” You let out a shaky breath. “Is Kate growing back?”

 Kara’s eyes turn serious. The sapphire turns stormy and she looks at the ocean. “I don’t know. Barry is still chasing him, but there are other matters to attend to. It’s been almost three months. We haven’t had any luck with the Micheal Ludwig’s of other Earths. They are either human or their powers are vastly different. They all try to help, but, it’s not enough. If Kate was converted by a machine, everything would be easier.”

 You look out the ocean too. Midvale’s sights are stunning. “What are we going to do.”

 “Help Kate.”

 “Kara.”

 Much gets conveyed in that simple word.

 Your wife’s shoulders slump. “I don’t know, love. I really don’t know.”

 You turn your eyes to Kara. “We can’t keep taking turns to bring her to work with us. She needs to interact with kids her age.”

 “She interacts with Alex fine.” Her statement is weak, and you know she’s thinking along the same lines you do.

 “Alex is six. As intelligent as she is, Kate has more energy and Alex always gets distracted. They play together fine for a couple of hours, and Alex goes to school, but Kate has no other outlet than us.”

 “I’ll take Kate to the DEO more often, then. Let her go at it with the recruits.”

 “She needs to learn, Kara. She needs school.”

 “She learns plenty with her tablet. She doesn’t need school.”

 You scoff at her answer. “She needs toys of her own. She can’t keep borrowing Alex’s. Kate isn’t into ponies and Alex hates not knowing where are her things.”

 Kara shrugs. “Lets get them to Build a Bear. Kate can have a stuffed bat to remember us by.”

 “Love.”

 Kara smiles tremulously, finally meeting your eyes. Hers are watery. “We can’t let her get too used to her life here, Lena. Sooner or later she’ll leave. We can’t do that to her. Get her used to us and then send her away.”

 “You just told me she might not grow up.” You get it, you really do, but you’re starting to get tired of trying to keep her at arms length. She’s speaking Irish, for Rao’s sake. You’ve failed at not getting her attached.

 Kara blinks, her eyes letting free two fat drops. “Even so, her dad is coming back in about two years. Sooner, if the president impeachment goes trough.” 

 “That’s still a year away, Kara. What will Kate do in that time? What will we do? She needs a normal life.”

 Kara laughs humorlessly. “We ain’t normal, Lena. You are a Luthor and I’m a super. Add the regressed DEO agent and the once Batwoman and you have a recipe for madness.”

 You sigh, frustrated. Kara is right, to an extend. But she’s not the one you’re frustrated with. You’re frustrated with the situation at hand and, above all, you’re frustrated with how powerless you are.

 “We are normal, Kara. It’s our own brand of normal, but it is normal. We keep them healthy and loved. We keep help them grow and we help them thrive. That’s our normal and I’d like to Kate fully embrace it.”

 Kara shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s possible, Lee… Kate needs her dad.”

 “And she has it. Just like Alex still has Eliza.”

 “Lena… you know that’s different.”

 “It is not,” you counter hotly.

 “Lena. Alex is ours because Eliza allowed us to have her unconditionally. Alex is ours because Eliza is my mother too. Because she knows you and knows you’re good. For Colonel Kane, we are strangers. We aren’t family.”

 You bite your lip. You won’t cry for this. No, sir. No. Kate belongs to you. Just like Alex does.

 You are ready to fight for her. 

 The mere thought of letting her go makes your blood run cold and your heart skip a beat. 

 But, logically, you know Kara is right. Mostly. You have no claim to Kate, not like you did with Alex. But, still, there is a silver of hope for you all.

 “Talk to the Colonel,” you tell your wife seriously. “Make him the offer. She belongs with us. In any capacity we can have her. Make him see it.”

 Kara stares at you full of wonder. Her eyes are shining again, this time with determination. “I will. I promise.”

 XxXxX

 In the end, it was easier than expected.

 Colonel Kane understand his position and his limitations. He gets Kate is happy with you and that a solution to the problem is a long time coming. There won’t be an easy fix and things are getting more serious as more time passes.

 Kane Enterprises is at risk too. With him confided to the other side of the globe and Kate in her current state of childhood, the company is drifting. Kate was a smart business woman. Her board knows that she travels a lot and so are used to her being missing for months. The top ranking people in the company are trained to follow her instructions on her absence, and she doesn’t stop by her office often, but, still, the company is at risk if Kate doesn’t come back at all.

 There’s no Kane left to take care of the company, but the world can’t know that.

 When Alex regressed, it was easy to hide it. She never had a social media life, and her friends never ventured outside those in the know of who she was. After Maggie, the DEO became Alex’s wife and so, faking the death of Alexandra Danvers was easy enough. There was no one you needed to trick into thinking she died and the only thing you needed to bring Alex Danvers-Luthor to life was a series of well forged papers that became official with the proper stamps and signatures.

Kate’s case it’s different. She’s a public figure. She used to attend at least three of the mayor galas every year. She had lots of people surrounding her constantly, people who know her and her family. People who will start asking questions sooner or later. 

Making Kate Kane disappear unnoticed is impossible.

Colonel Kane pointed all this out to Kara.

But, fortunately, your wife has a great mind and an ever greater tongue.

L-Corp is now the warden of Kane Enterprises. Had it been any other company, the loss of it to any buyer wouldn’t be a problem. Colonel Kane doesn’t care enough for business and would be happy to let that part of him go. However, Kane Enterprises not only funded Batwoman’s activities, it also takes charge of several non-profitable organizations that have helped the underdogs of Gotham live a better life.

Kane Enterprises is one of the few companies that need to keep operating the same way it’s been doing it for years now and having you oversee the operation is the way to do it.

With a really complicated escrow agreement, step one of operation ‘Give Kate a Good Life’ was completed.

Step two came around a couple of days after you signed the documents.

The whole movement was done in secret, no one knew how or when the bought was made. Page Six got a ‘mysterious’ phone call telling them that Kane Enterprises were no more and all hell broke loose. 

Conjectures were made and L-Corp never released a statement, fueling the rumors. Most said Kate did some sort of unmentionable thing to have her dad hand the company over. Other said it was Kate that, in a convoluted declaration of love, had gifted the company to Lena. Other still insisted that it was a vile rumor and the world was panicking for nothing. Colonel Kane couldn’t be reached, so it was all wild conspiracy until a single Tweet was made from Kate’s account:

It’s time to step back for a while. Focus on myself. I know Lena, KE is in good hands. Bali, here I come!

Shorty after that, all of Kate’s social accounts were deactivated.

It was a real blessing Kate was in between girlfriends and a quick chat between Supergirl and Renee Montoya cleared the air of what happened to the socialite.

“Lena will train Alex to take over L-Corp one day,” Kara had said to Colonel Kane that day. “I’m sure she can train Kate too so she can take over your company one day.”

He saw reason in that, but another problem arose: How would another kid join the family? And how would that kid become heiress of the Kane fortune? What if Kate grows back? What then?

Again, Alex’s adoption was pretty easy. A forged paper here, a false trail of documents there, and Alex was yours without people baiting an eye. She was a kid that a powerful couple decided to adopt and that was it.

Kate, Kate might go back to her former self. Everything you’ve done, from the hours with the lawyers to the media staging, was made so that ‘big’ Kate can come back and take over her business again if she so desires.

“Fostering is a thing. She’ll be in our care, but her being fostered allows us to send her away if Kate grows up. We can get the papers drawn in a day or two,” Kara had said. “We’ll give her another name and if the worst happens, you can adopt her before she turns eighteen. She’ll be your daughter again.”

Kara said the Colonel had smiled softly at her words. “As she’ll be yours too. I like the way you think.”

“I told him it was all the time I spend with you,” Kara told you. “That some of your brilliance must’ve rubbed on me.”

You rolled your eyes at that. “You’re such a sap.”

“I’m your sap, though. So I’m game.”

And with Winn’s skills and several papers and Renee Montoya’s help, you became the proud foster parents of one Katherine Marie Ludwig. 

Giving her the name of the man that made her become yours was morbid but strangely fitting.

If you have your way, though, she’ll become a Danvers-Luthor before long.

XxXxX

“So, Lena, we’ve all heard rumors. You’ve adopted again.”

You sip your wine slowly as you regard your companion. “All false rumors, I’m afraid.” 

Cat Grant looks at you up and down, her small smile predatory. It is really difficult not making cat jokes when she’s looking like that. “But you’ve taken another girl in.”

“Yes, we’ve had.”

Cat shakes her head at your stubbornness, the notepad in her hands is left to the side. “Come on, Miss Luthor. Give the people what they want. What’s the story behind the kid.”

You place you glass on the table between you, reclining on your cushy chair. “I believe that topic wasn’t among the approved questions.” 

Cat mimics you, lounging on her own chair. She looks just like a satisfied cat that just ate a canary. “You both and I know the readers wouldn’t care less about your company’s new ventures. I was asked to interview you because they knew I could get answers.”

You snort. You like Cat, you’ve always had. She’s ruthless and resourceful. She’s hard and doesn’t feel remorse often. She’s a woman that caved her path in a men’s world and ever since you were little and watched her interview shows, you admired her.

Buying CatCo World Media from her helped fulfill one of your childhood fantasies, to own an empire as strong and vast as Cat’s. To be like her.

Now that you’re older, that you’ve lived and taken care of you own company for years, you understand her and understand that you’ll never be like her. You are Lena Danvers-Luthor and you are perfect the way you are. You still admire Cat, though. She sold her company looking to grow both her career and her self.

“And who are they, Miss Grant?”

She shrugs elegantly. “The people.”

You have to laugh at that. Cat Grant still writes for CatCo magazines here and there. When she sold you the company she also made you sign a contract in which she kept the right to write, edit and publish in the magazine if she so wanted. Of course, there are clauses and the publishing itself is tied with the magazine’s own agenda, but so far Cat has only submitted three pieces since she left to work for ex-president Marsdin: one, your wedding; two, the new election’s results and the subsequent disappointment; and three, Alex’s adoption. And you have the feeling that Cat wouldn’t have written about the elections if the result had been favorable… 

Cat apparently has a slight obsession with your family.

“Cat, the people isn’t interested in my private life.” That’s a lie. People is interested in everything about you, from your projects to the brand of toilet paper you use. You just chose to shy form that part of being famous. 

Honestly, you try not to have an active social media life. Everything the people know about you comes form Kara and her Instagram and Twitter accounts. But even Kara has kept quiet about taking in Kate. She hasn’t posted a picture of the girls since Kate came live with you and her feed is starting to resemble a food blog.

“Bullshit. You know people eat up any story about the queerest couple in National City. You two are role models for little girls everywhere.”

You blush faintly at that. “Still.”

“Come on, Lena. I’ll even let you edit the final article, give you ultimate power decision of what gets published.”

You sigh. “Fine.” Honestly, this is a good opportunity to keep feeding the lie that Kate Ludwig has become.

Cat nods and picks her pad. She makes sure the small recording device in the table is still recording and starts:

“When did Kara and you started wanting to adopt again?”

“We are not adopting Kate,” you clarify. “At least not yet. And we’ve wanting to expand our family for a while now. It felt natural.”

Cat nods, jotting it down. “Why not adopting? Your girl was adopted almost immediately.”

You pick up your glass again, sipping. “Kate is almost ten. Alex was only three,” you chose your words carefully. “Alex was a baby and she adapted to us quickly. We want to make sure Kate is comfortable with us before we adopt her.”

“You’re not worried your Alexandra will get upset?”

“Oh, heavens, no. Alex loves Kate. She was so angry we wouldn’t adopt her sister officially since the very begingin, but now she understands why we are only fostering her at the moment.”

Cat falls silent for a handful of seconds as she writes. “I get the feeling you three, Kiera, Alexandra and you, are ready to welcome Katherine permanently.”

You don’t like the way she says Kate’s name. Something in the back of her tone makes you uneasy. “We do. We are just trying to pace ourselves so no one gets hurt.”

“Have you spoken to Katherine about the adoption?”

There’s that weird inflection again. You try to ignore it as you place your glass delicately on the table once more. “Yes. She seems excited, but, then again, we refuse to rush. For everybody’s sake.”

Cat hums. “I wonder…” she muses. Her eyes lift to stare at you. “Isn’t it strange that Alexandra got adopted so shortly after another Alexandra, your wife’s sister, passed away? And now that Katherine Kane has gone into seclusion, you are looking to adopt another Katherine in your family?”

You tense at that. Of fucking course Cat Grant put two and two together. Damn her and her stupid cat slyness and her stupid dog sniffling!

You eye at the recording device, silently conveying your request as you answer, “I would think nothing is as strange as National City being the home of an alien from a dead planet and that said alien has saved the world in uncountable occasions. I’ll admit that Alex’s name got us curious when we first met her, but it’s all our daughter’s charm and kindness that made us fall in love with her. Everything else is mere coincidence.”

Cat blinks slowly, digesting the information. She primly closes her pad. “I think that’ll be more than enough to write an informative piece, Miss Luthor. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“It was my pleasure,” you say with honey venom dripping with your words.

She reaches for her recording device and shows you who she turns it off. She takes out it’s memory card and places it near your glass, closer to you than her.

“I meant no offense, Lena,” she tells you honestly.

You let out a shuddering breath. You haven’t noticed you were closing your fists so tightly and you take a moment to close your eyes and unclench your hands. “I know.” And you do. Cat is a bitch, but she’s a mother too and no-one messes with the children when she’s around. “I know.”

Cat nods. “Would you tell me truth? I can dissuade the ones that no doubt will see what I do.”

You open your eyes and look at her tiredly. You didn’t sign up for this when she contacted your office for an interview. “And what do you see?”

“Alexandra Danvers, sister of one Supergirl is your daughter and you’re fostering Kate Kane.”

You slump at that.

“I don’t know how or why,” she continues, “but the girls you take care of were once older than you.”

You sigh.

“Are their cases related?” she asks, knowing that if you weren’t intent on answering her, you’ve left already, taking the memory card with you.

“No,” you answers finally. “Alex got regressed by CADMUS after being missing for months. Kate got turned by a metahuman that’s still at large.”

Cat hums. “And Alexandra can’t be cured, so to speak, but you think Kate might.”

You nod. “Yes. It’s impossible for us to restore Alex, but Kate still has a chance. That’s why we are only fostering her. If we find a way to get Kate Kane back, we need to make sure she can leave us without rising suspicions.”

“And if you don’t?”

“Then we or Colonel Jacob Kane will adopt her before she turns eighteen.”

Cat grows pensive. “And you don’t think the difference between status won’t make the girl unhappy? Alexandra is yours by law, but Katherine is drifting. I’ve met your daughter, and Alexandra truly is a kid her age, clever, but still a kid. Won’t Katherine resent the difference?”

You shake your head. “Alex is smart, yes, and she’s known since the beginning who she is, or rather, who she was. She has no memory of her life as a scientist, but she knows about it. Kate, however, remembers some of her life and work, so it’s easier for her to get she might grow back and into her old life. So far, she’s happy with how we are dealing with things. She’s attending school and she’s making friends. She calls her dad every week and she enjoys coming with me to L-Corp to learn the family trade. She enjoys that a little bit more than Alex, at least.”

Cat perks up at that. “You are grooming the girls to take over your company?”

You smile softly. “Maybe. I’ll teach them, but I won’t force them to become me. They will be free to choose their own paths.”

XxXxX

Laughter greets you when you enter the park. Kids of all ages are running around and you have to sidestep a little girl and her dog before they run you over. 

The day is sunny but cool, making it the perfect Sunday and the families of National City know it. This is one of the last chances to spend the day outdoors before it gets too hot. Picnics are scattered all over the grass and the benches all around you are occupied so it takes you some time finding your target.

You find her sketching on a wide checkered clothe, with empty food containers around and her trusty camera to the side.

“Lena!” 

Little Kate barrels into you from nowhere before you can reach Kara.

“Hello, a mhuirní.” You place a gently hand at the top of her sweaty hair. “Are you having fun?”

“Yes!” she beams. “Kara brought popstickers and Alex fit five in her mouth! Five! It was crazy.”

You laugh with her. As concerning as Alex choking on food is, you know Kara wouldn’t let them get hurt. “I see. And how many did you fit?” You know better than to assume some sort of competition didn’t arose between your girls.

Kate pouts. “Only three. But they were larger than Alex’s, I promise!”

You ruffle her hair. “Very impressive, love.” You look up, seeing Kara looking at you both with a smile on her face. Alex is nowhere to be found, though. “Where’s your sister?” 

“We playing hide’n’seek. I’m seeking.”

You nod somberly. “That sounds hard work. Any luck finding her?”

Kate giggles. “She’s hiding behind the slide. I’m letting her win this round, tho.”

You smile down at her. “That’s really noble of you, Kate.”

The girl shrugs. “I’m her big sister. I have to let her win sometimes. She’ll cry if I win all the time.”

You don’t know anything about being the older sibling. Both Kara and you are the younger ones, so you take Kate’s words as truth. “Thank you, then, for taking such good care of Alex.”

Kate’s small eyebrow rises in a clear imitation of Kara. That’s a move Alex’s been trying to perfect for years and apparently Kate mastered in a few months. “I’m her sister,” she repeats. Her tone lets you know she thinks you’re stupid for not noticing that fact.

You nod to her. “I know, a mhuirní. And that makes me happy.”

Kate beams again as you start walking with her to where Kara is now waiting for you with an pen smile. Your older girl happily hugs you by the waist and lets you guide her by the shoulders there. You can see Alex from the corner of you eye, how she’s come out of hiding and she runs to your other side, hugging you tightly. 

“Hi, Mam!”

“Hello, a chroí.” You hug your younger girl to you and keep walking to your wife. “Kate says you were hiding?”

“I won, Mam! Kathy didn’t come look! She’s lazy.”

“Hey! I looked!” Kate defends herself. She shrugs. “I just didn’t find you.”

Alex giggles at that. “Then I won!”

Kate’s eyes find yours and she winks. “Yes, you did.”

You laugh at your girls’ antics. 

A shutter sound catches your attention and you turn to see you’ve reached Kara and that your wife is holding her camera.

“What at you doing?” you ask her bemused as the girls let go of you and start chasing each other.

Kara answers by taking another picture of you.

You shake your head. You married a wacko.

“Com’ere, Lee. Lemme kiss you.”

As you lower yourself into her arms, you can’t help but make a note of asking Kara for the first picture she took of you.

No doubt Kara managed to capture the elation you’re feeling. The calmness and sense of belonging that you get at having your girls at your side, your wife just a few peaces away. The utter sense of fullness that you find yourself in this moment in your life.

You never knew you’d be this lucky, this complete.

That’ll be your new phone’s background.

You and your two daughters, happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope I delivered the fluff.
> 
> XxXxX
> 
> Language used here:
> 
> _a chroí_ : Irish Gaelic – 'Heart'.
> 
> _oíche mhaith_ : Irish Gaelic - 'goodnight'.
> 
> _a mhuirnín_ : Irish Gaelic - 'darling'.
> 
> _tá brón orm_ : Irish Gaelic - 'I'm sorry'.
> 
> _gealltanas mé_ : Irish Gaelic - 'I promise'.
> 
> _ieiu_ : Kryptonese - 'Mother/Mom'.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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